LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas softball dropped game two of the series against No. 1 Texas, 11-3, in front of a sold out crowd at Arrocha Ballpark on Saturday.
Kansas fell to 27-16-1 overall this season and 11-9 in Big 12 Conference play. No. 1 Texas improved to 37-6 overall, including 16-4 in Big 12 play. Texas clinches the series ahead of Sunday’s series finale at Arrocha Ballpark at 12 p.m.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Presley Limbaugh got things started at the plate for the Jayhawks with a leadoff single, which extended her hit streak to 11 games. Two batters later, Limbaugh came around to score on a triple by Hailey Cripe to give Kansas a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
- Texas responded with a two-run home run in the top of the second inning by Katie Henry to give the Longhorns a 2-1 advantage.
- In the bottom of the second, Campbell Bagshaw led off with a single and later advanced from first to third on a wild pitch. Bagshaw finished the inning stranded at third.
- Texas added two more runs in the top of the third inning on another two-run home run by Reese Atwood. Texas led at the conclusion of the third inning, 4-1.
- Cripe struck again in the bottom of the fourth inning, belting a home run to left center to put Kansas behind, 4-2. The home run was Cripes’ sixth of the season and marked her 11th multi-hit game of the season.
- Texas added four runs in the top of the fifth inning to extend its lead to 8-2.Â
- In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kansas had three straight batters reach base on walks, until Lyric Moore hit a sacrifice ground ball to score Aynslee Linduff. Texas led at the end of the fifth inning, 8-3.
- Texas added a run in the top half of the sixth inning and two runs in the top of the seventh inning to extend its lead to 11-3.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Mac Morgan (10-1)
Final line: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
Loss: Kasey Hamilton (10-11)
Final line: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 2 BB, 2 SO
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“We just have to play a complete game. I think we had some momentum opportunities early in the game that we grabbed, but we turned around and gave it right back to them. Again, it’s a great hitting team that isn’t going to go away. We’ve got to find ways to stop the bleeding and get some shut down innings when we have those opportunities. We also left some quality opportunities at the plate slip through when we had runners in scoring position with less than two outs. We just have to keep finding ways to play a complete game and continue to find a way to positively bounce back into tomorrow.” – Head Coach Jennifer McFalls
- With a leadoff single to start the bottom of the first, Limbaugh extended her hit streak to 11 games, which is the longest of any KU hitting streak this season. Limbaugh’s hit streak began on March 30 vs. Oklahoma and was her third hit of the series.
- Cripe recorded her second triple of the season in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Limbaugh, marking Cripe’s 33rd RBI of the season.
- Bagshaw extended her hitting streak to five games in the bottom of the second inning with a leadoff single. Bagshaw’s hit streak is now the second longest active streak on the team.
- In the bottom of the fourth inning, Cripe struck for her sixth home run of the season, while marking her 11th multi-hit game of the season. Cripe’s home run and triple marked her first career game with a triple and a home run.
- September Flanagan pinch hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, in which she singled up the middle for her second hit of the season. Flanagan’s first career hit, a home run, came in her last outing at Missouri State on April 17.Â
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks and Longhorns will meet for the series finale on Sunday, April 21 at 12 p.m. at Arrocha Ballpark.
